How just 20 minutes of Fonetti a day transformed literacy outcomes.
Paulton Junior School, a small junior school in Bristol, built Fonetti into the daily routine as a reading intervention for pupils with lower reading ages, and a short daily habit delivered remarkable gains.
Background
Implementing interventions is a challenge for every school: teachers have to balance specialist support with keeping pupils on track with the wider curriculum. Paulton Junior School, a small junior school in Bristol, has used Fonetti for a year as a reading intervention for pupils with lower reading ages.
The model is simple. Each day, these pupils have two short “Fonetti time” sessions, 10 minutes first thing in the morning and another 10 minutes after break. They each grab an iPad, find a space to read aloud, and then seamlessly rejoin their scheduled lessons.
The Impact
Those 20 minutes a day translated into real progress.
Reading Ages Rose
- Daily reading on Fonetti led to substantial gains, with one pupil increasing her reading age by 8 months between September 2021 and February 2022.
Easy to Embed, Time-Saving for Teachers
- Pupils log into their own accounts and start reading with very little help from staff, making it an effective and time-saving intervention.
- Teachers can build it into existing routines without disrupting the school day.
Pupils Love It
- Children earn stars based on their reading accuracy and celebrate reaching milestones.
- Pupils return to class brimming with pride, boasting about earning three stars on a book.
Teacher Feedback
“It’s such an easy tool to embed into your routines because children can just get on and do it.” — English Teacher, Paulton Junior School
The same teacher noted that one of the highlights of her day is seeing pupils’ immense pride in their reading improvements as they excitedly return to class to share what they have achieved.
Conclusion
Paulton’s experience shows that a small, consistent intervention can make a big difference. With just 20 minutes of Fonetti a day, pupils with lower reading ages made meaningful progress, took ownership of their learning, and grew in confidence with every session, all while saving teachers valuable time.
Fonetti: confident readers, empowered learners, one page at a time.